People Operations Lead (Maternity Cover, 12 Months)
Full-Time, Fixed-Term
£55,000
Hybrid, based near Woking, Surrey, or near Sevenoaks, Kent, with regular travel across sites
Please note for the Sevenoaks site, you will need a car to access the office
This role follows a hybrid pattern of four days on-site and one day from home, with flexibility around this where needed.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, circumstances and career paths, providing you have the skills and experience to do the role, which include: strong, hands-on employee relations experience including complex case management, excellent knowledge of UK employment law, and experience managing People Operations across a multi-site environment.
This would be a great role for someone with the above-mentioned skills looking to return to the workplace from parental, or similar, leave.
Our client is a growing, multi-site charitable organisation in the sporting and leisure space, looking for an experienced People Operations Lead to provide maternity cover for their Head of People. This is a hands-on, fast-paced leadership role at the heart of the People function, reporting directly into the Chief People Officer.
You'll be the organisation's go-to for employee relations and operational People delivery, working closely with a newly appointed People Development & Engagement Lead, and supporting managers across a predominantly hourly-paid, multi-site workforce.
What you'll be doing
- Leading employee relations activity across the organisation, including disciplinary, grievance, absence, performance and capability cases
- Coaching and supporting managers to handle people issues confidently and consistently
- Overseeing day-to-day People service delivery, including recruitment, onboarding and HR systems
- Maintaining compliance with UK employment law, Right to Work, DBS and documentation requirements
- Providing oversight and quality assurance of payroll, working closely with the Payroll Officer
- Acting as a trusted People partner to managers and senior leaders, with regular reporting to the Chief People Officer
What we're looking for
- Strong, hands-on senior HR Generalist, HR Business Partner or People Operations experience
- Excellent employee relations experience, including complex case management
- Strong knowledge of UK employment law and best practice
- Experience operating across a multi-site environment, ideally hourly-paid or front-line workforces
- Confident working autonomously and at pace in an evolving environment
- CIPD Level 5+ and experience within hospitality, leisure, retail or charity sectors desirable
Process and timing
Initial agency screening meeting and two further interviews with the client.
The role needs someone in place by mid-to-end July 2026 to allow for a detailed handover ahead of maternity leave starting in mid-August.
Interested?
Get in touch
